Iran agreed to a 500 million Euros arms deal with Russia to acquire thousands of advanced shoulder-fired missiles, London-based outlet Financial Times reported on Sunday.
This comes as part of an effort to rebuild Iran's air defenses, which were heavily reduced by Israeli airstrikes in June.
The agreement, signed in Moscow in December, will commit Russia to deliver 500 "Verba" launch units and 2,500 "9M336" missiles over three years, according to leaked Russian documents seen by FT, and other people familiar with the deal.
The Verba is one of Russia's most modern air-defense systems, according to FT. It is a type of system known as a Man-Portable Air-Defense System (MANPADS). It fired an infrared-guided missile capable of targeting cruise missiles, low-flying aircraft, and drones.
Under the contract, Russian deliveries to the Islamic Republic are scheduled in three phases, running from 2027 until 2029. A person familiar with the deal said it was possible a smaller number of systems could have been delivered to Iran early, the outlet cited.
Tehran formally requested the systems last July, shortly after the Israel-Iran war, according to the contract.
Russia would likely have viewed the deal as an opportunity to rebuild ties with Iran after Moscow refused to aid Tehran against Israeli and US airstrikes, a former senior US official was cited as saying.
"They [Russia] want Iran to remain their partner. And so even if they can't react in the middle of a crisis, they're going to look after the crisis to try to patch up the relationship," the former official said.
Kremlin, Iranian ministry responsible for arms trade deal
The deal was negotiated between Rosoboronexport, the Kremlin's state arms export agency, and Moscow's representative to Iran's Defense and Armed Forces Logistics Ministry (MOADAFL), FT noted.
It was also arranged by a Moscow-based MODAFL official, who helped to broker Iran's sale of Fath-360 ballistic missiles to Russia for the war in Ukraine, the report added.
FT contacted the Iranian embassy in London, which did not respond to questions about the deal. Additionally, the Kremlin declined to comment, and Rosoboronexport did not respond to a request for comment.